There have been repeated calls by the public for council payroll cuts to be made in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s budget consultations – but these are already underway and have been since 2010, Leader Paul Steele has stated.
Reacting to the 1200 responses to the budget survey in the first of a planned series of statements, Cllr Steele addressed public opinion on making savings by reducing Comhairle employee numbers.
Cllr Steele said: “The simple answer to this point is that we have and continue to do so. Under consistent budget pressures, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar reduced full-time equivalent staff numbers by over 14% in the 12 years from 2010/11 to 2022/23. This represents the loss of more than 250 FTE jobs. This reduction took the Comhairle from 1834 to 1572 FTE employees.”
The Council Leader explained the Comhairle had managed the impact of these “significant reductions” through the restructuring of services, streamlining of management, the reduction of services and “most importantly, the hard work of our remaining employees.”
He continued: “Simply put, the scale of internal cutbacks is far greater than the public may realise.
“These reductions cover all grades of employee, including senior management. The Comhairle continues to have the smallest senior management team of any of the Islands Councils, and both Orkney and Shetland have smaller populations than the Western Isles.”
The Comhairle Leader said job losses affected both the employees and the wider Western Isles. He also noted that while Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has been forced to reduce employee numbers year on year, public sector employment in Scotland has grown significantly. According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, public sector employment grew by 56,000 (11%) from 2017 to 2024.
“These figures are a clear representation of the redirection of public sector funding away from Local Authorities, away from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and importantly away from the Western Isles,” suggested Cllr Steele.
“From 2012/13 to 2023/24, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s budget was reduced by 17.5% in real terms. This is the highest real terms cut to any council over this period, with the next worst off authority, Argyll and Bute, having a decrease of 10.4%.
“As we look to protect and enhance opportunities for individuals to live and work in the Western Isles, this trend cannot continue. The Scottish government must take the financial position of the Comhairle seriously and demonstrate through actions, not words, that the sustainable funding of local government and investment in local services is a real priority.”
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar will issue further statements on topics including employee and Member pay, capital projects and the funding formula.
